Stolen
by Marie Vulffe
Summary: As the royal delegation heads back from Prince Wendell's tenth birthday party, a Wolf pack seizes the opportunity and makes away with the heir to the House of Red. Sequestered high in the frozen mountains, the Princess is determined to outwit the ruthless Alpha that has kidnapped her, but, as usual in the 9 Kingdoms, things get complicated.
1. A Head Start

There are no official documents of this event. As far as anyone in the Nine Kingdoms is aware, the time period in which Princess Vermillia remained hidden from the public eye resulted from a life-threatening bout of cold sickness, in which she remained convalescent within the confines of the royal house. The two years spanning this incident remain questionably blank, as if the scribe was without the pertinent details of the time between. The Queen Mother was only noted to address the situation in order to appease the court, verbatim, "…as for my sweet daughter, everything is being done to ensure that she recovers speedily and without undue pain. I encourage all to send her best wishes and a Happy Ever After."

There is no mention of the return trip from the Good Prince Wendell's tenth birthday celebration, during which is was said the Princess contracted the sickness, save this disconcerting observation: "…and as the riding party entered the courtyard, the Queen stepped forward to stand at the side of her daughter's mount, and touched her arm. The young Princess, cloaked and drooping, did not respond to her mother's ministration, and as the good Queen reached out to set her daughter's cloak aside, she was set upon by the Weapons-master and a man-at-arms, drawing her away. The Princess' mount was surrounded, and they withdrew into the confines of the stables, away from the eyes of the guardsmen. The little Princess remained seated, her face never lifting to look after her mother, as she was wont to do."

No one is quite sure what this curious account could allude to; we must assume that there is more to the event than has been revealed to the public. After all, _nothing is ever as it seems in the Nine Kingdoms._

**STOLEN**  
><em>A Tale from the Second Kingdom<em>

* * *

><p>"<em>I want adventure in the great wide somewhere; I want it more than I can tell. And for once, it might be grand to have someone understand – I want so much more than they've got planned."<em>

**Chapter One**

The horses were growing tired; just in time, for the sun had begun to set. Behind her she could hear Master Tomas' gelding huffing as he pulled himself up the hillside, and her own mount was lathered in sweat. She could see her breath coming in little white puffs in front of her. Vee couldn't wait until they set up camp for the night, so she could settle into her luxurious fur-lined bedroll and doze in front of a roaring fire.

The princess tugged on her cloak, pulling it up around her neck to ward off the chill. Autumn in her kingdom was a beautiful time of year, but the cold was one aspect she had never enjoyed. She rose up in her stirrups, impatient to get a better look at the top of the hill they aspired to. They were so close! The copse of grandfather oak trees hid the small hunting lodge, but she knew it was there. Her toes curled in weary excitement, eagerly awaiting a respite from numbness.

Master Tomas finally caught up with her, reining in his mount to keep pace. "I see that you are as eager as I to sit back and enjoy some roast duck."

Vee flashed him a smile, half-hidden beneath her red cape. "And I see that you still can think of nothing but your stomach."

The elderly man, thin as a sapling and spry as a man a third his age, shook his head in mock disappointment. "_Tsk._ Young lady, we do not speak of such primitive bodily functions. It is unbefitting of a princess!"

From behind them came a snort. "Yer fighting a losin' battle, old man. Girl's more of a barbarian than the barbarians." Weapons-master Kent put his two Royal Reds in.

The teacher and pupil turned as one to stare down the grizzled older man, who sat grinning atop his mare. The weapons-master was one of the very few who dared speak that way of the royal family, but the man was as much a member of the household as Master Tomas. Both had instructed the Princess since before she could walk, and never let a chance pass by to remind her of it.

Tomas' mouth pursed. "You would know, wouldn't you," he retorted with a sniff. Vee stifled a giggle in her muffler as the two continued to bicker, and she turned back around to watch as her mount gained more ground. Her mother always said those two reminded her more of an old married couple than anything, and she was inclined to agree. They never saw eye to eye on much of anything, unless she did something wrong – which unfortunately happened more frequently than she cared to admit.

Finally they hit the plateau, and she sat back in her saddle gratefully, letting her legs and back relax from the uphill climb. She popped her spine quickly before Tomas could catch her, and craned her neck to watch as the last of the entourage caught up to them. She knew there were at least two other riders in the trees below them, rear and flanking guards that would remain by the perimeter of the campsite.

Something caught her eye then, as she gazed down at the vast, sprawling forest below. Squinting, she shaded her eyes with a gloved hand, trying to see past the shadows cast from the sinking sun. It was too far away to be one of the guards; the movement had come a little ways from the base of the hill. Her other hand instinctively tightened on her reins, and her mare nickered softly, tugging at her bit in agitation.

Tonight was No Moon, an event they had purposefully waited for. In the Second Kingdom it was customary to travel at this time of the month – it was the safest occasion in which to do so. Fortunately Prince Wendell's tenth birthday had come at a convenient time; otherwise there would have been triple the guards and much more ground covered in a day's ride.

Her mother had fallen ill only days ago; influenza, Master Tomas had diagnosed somberly. It went without saying that she would be unable to make the journey to the Fourth Kingdom for the celebration, and so for the very first time Vermillia found herself on her own. It terrified and exhilarated her in turn; a small, secret part of her wished that they would come across a Wolf, while the more sensible side of her was grateful for the night of No Moon. She had never actually seen a real live Wolf, not even a mutt. They were forbidden entrance to the palace grounds.

So it was with a rapidly pounding heart that Vee stared down the hillside, out into the darkening valley. They had neither seen nor heard any sign of Wolf activity all day, and chances were they never would. But –

There! It happened again. A flash of something dark between two overlapping trees, low to the forest floor. Her heart leapt into her throat, and beneath her the mare sensed her rider's change in demeanor; she shuddered, stamping her hooves. Vee's tongue felt glued to the roof of her mouth; she couldn't call out to Kent, or to anyone. She really shouldn't, in any case…that was what the rear guards were for, weren't they? No need for undue alarm.

Before she realized it, the sun had all but disappeared beyond the horizon, and the landscape was bathed in deep twilight. The tops of the trees in the valley below just barely caught the last rays of sunlight, sharpening the shadows beneath their canopies. If she hadn't been looking at that exact time, in that exact spot, she would have missed it.

A flash of something reflective had caught a sliver of sunlight, burning green in the dusk. Fee caught herself leaning forward in her saddle, straining for a second look. The twin lights winked at her once more, then vanished in the underbrush.

Mountain cat. Had to be. Wolves didn't come out during No Moon; everyone and their elderly uncles knew that. Besides, the guards had yet to raise any alarm, or appear to usher them into the cabin. There was no danger here.

She tugged on her hood with hands she found were shaking. Scowling to herself, she wound her trembling fingers into the soft knit fabric, willing them to stop. She was a Princess of the House of Red; _she_ wasn't afraid of any wild animals!

Master Tomas finally caught her attention, appearing to have won the verbal sparring match he and Kent had been engaged in. His mouth smiled at her, but his brows were drawn together in silent query at her clenched jaw and wide eyes. She bit back her paranoia and smiled at him, reining her mare around in the direction of the hunting cabin. Despite her reassuring expression, he remained close to her, choosing to remain silent for the time being.

Full dark had come by the time they carried their bedrolls inside the hunter's lodge. Vee noted with satisfaction that her hands were steady and sure once more, and she trundled along behind Kent, soft, furry bedroll in tow. Behind them came one of the valets with an armful of dry kindling for the fireplace, and she arranged her bedding as the man built up a fire. She murmured a thank you as he exited, and after Kent had secured her room, she was left alone.

Tomas would be by in a few minutes, no doubt to check on her disposition. She had already dismissed the incident as an ordinary occurrence – no fox or mountain cat would dare come too close to a human's lodging.

Sure enough, he popped his bushy head into her room to make sure nothing was amiss. She scoffed at him for his over protectiveness, and he _tutted _at her in return. Fortunately, dinner was announced before he could find something to lecture her with, and they headed the common room to get a bite to eat. They tucked into their roast duck quietly; everyone was too tired after a full day's ride to converse much.

After several failed attempts to cover her yawns, she finally dragged herself back to her room. She washed her face and hands quickly; the water was too cold for her liking. After choking down her despised Tonic (which tasted like a combination of sage and meat that had been left out to spoil, in her humble opinion), she fumbled her way into her sleep clothes, and snuggled into the furry wrap. She knew she'd be asleep in minutes.

Nearly two hours later Vee lay staring up at the ceiling, watching the shadows dance across the support arches as the fire slowly died. Outside the wind had picked up, rattling the oaks and scraping their tattered branches across the windows. The thick velvet curtains ensured that she saw nothing of the menacing shapes their skeletal limbs made.

She should have been fast asleep. Her calves and lower back ached from the long ride, and she was generally sore all over. Exhaustion held her down, but a strange, fluttery feeling had crept its way into her stomach, keeping her eyelids wide open. Absently she ran her hands to and fro across the soft, silky fox fur, staring blankly into the dark.

It was a strange riot of feelings that kept her awake; it was akin to the shivery, excited feeling on Yuletide Eve, but the excitement was edged with something sharper, more alarming. She supposed it had to do with the ride; she had never been on a trip like this all by herself, without her mother for company. It made her feel more grown-up, older than her fifteen years. Like she was a responsible adult that could be trusted to watch out for herself.

Her train of thought meandered after that, and slowly she relaxed. It wasn't until something jarred her awake that she realized her eyes had been closed.

_Crack._

Her head snapped to the side, facing the window. A branch must have broken against the house, she thought, comforting herself. Vee forced her eyes shut again, deliberately unclenching her fists where they had been clutching at her bedroll.

_Screeeeeeech….._

Alright, that was definitely _not _a broken branch. Fee bolted upright, eyes wide in the darkness. The fire had died, leaving only embers to glow very faintly in the hearth. She could just barely make out the dim, velvety folds of her curtains, and she stared hard at them until her eyes watered.

She waited for what felt like forever, but nothing else happened. Her drapes remained mercifully still, and the shadows never moved. Vee made herself blink.

And then the scratching started.

Her heart slammed in her chest, and with a rigidity born of sudden and absolute fear, she slid her hand beneath her pillow. Her trembling fingers found the hilt of the sharp little dagger Kent insisted she keep with her, and she squeezed it hard. The soft scratching, a far cry from the irregular tap-taps of the branches, never ceased. It was a muted, rhythmic sound, as if someone were sharpening a blade on a whetstone.

A cold sweat broke out at her temples at the thought. _Brigands. Kidnappers._ Each scenario was worse than the last, leaving her frozen to the spot. _Someone's trying to break into my room and _get _me._

Her mind absolutely refused the idea of Wolves. It was No Moon Night. They didn't dare come out to challenge anyone. They were at their weakest without the power of the lunar light, a belief she clung desperately to.

Despite her self-affirmation, fear kept a tight hold on her throat. She tried to swallow, to wet her mouth for a scream, but she couldn't make a sound.

Then the noise stopped. Vee held her breath, knuckles white on her blade. Her eyes felt glued open; she didn't dare blink or look away from the silhouette of the curtains.

The glass rattled abruptly, and the noise shocked her into moving. She propelled herself backwards off her bedroll, scooting herself towards the fireplace. If she could see what was coming, she stood a chance. Her sweaty hands clenched around the little pig-sticker, and she held it out in front of her, barely keeping herself upright.

She should try to scream again. Tomas was just down the hallway, and for God's sake Kent's room was _right beside hers._ She managed to suck in a shuddering breath, but it got stuck in her lungs. Vee could feel the fireplace screen at her back, pressing sharply into her spine; the pressure and the heat from the coals were strangely reassuring. She felt her throat unblock a little; she opened her mouth –

Everything happened at once. The windowpane crashed open, and the encroaching wind blew the curtains away, billowing out like sinister clouds. Out from the darkness a shape coalesced, sweeping across the floorboards with a muted _hush-shush, hush-shush_ noise. The dying fire reflected off of two points of light that seemed to hang suspended in the middle of the room.

Vee met the Wolf's eyes, and something inside her went very, very still. Massive jaws opened, and the needle sharp teeth gleamed at her, shiny with saliva.

She wanted to close her eyes. She wanted to lie back down and pretend she was still asleep, and that this was just another children's nightmare, borne from her family's multitude of horror stories. Without meaning to her eyes fell shut, as if she really could force herself to into believing she would wake back up.

_Hush-shush, hush-shush._

Hazel eyes flew back open to see the wolf's gaping maw an inch from her face. A pink wet tongue swept across its gums, and it snorted. Hot, humid air buffeted her face, and if she hadn't been frozen to the spot before, this made her grow roots and sprout leaves. She couldn't have moved if…well, if her life had depended on it.

Which it did.

The small knife lay in her clenched fist, all but forgotten. All she felt was numb, and strangely cold, as if frostbite had settled in. Then the black lips pulled back to reveal shining teeth once more, baring them in a wolf's grin. A low peal of thunder rumbled from somewhere deep in its chest.

It was laughing at her.

It was this more than anything that woke her from her stupor. She dragged in a quick, heaving breath, even as that massive head reared back, jaws wide open –

And she dove not onto him, but to the side, rolling back up to her knees. The beast crashed muzzle-first into the grate, and it staggered, snarling wrathfully. It recovered far too quickly, however, leaping after her. She barely had time to brace herself, like Kent had shown her, and then the wolf was on top of her.

Her knife swung up like a streak of lightning, scraping off of the wolf's ribcage. The animal fell back, rage in its inhuman eyes, and she swore virulently to herself. She had just missed her mark, and now it knew she was armed.

By now it didn't even occur to her to scream for help; it was fight or flight, and the wolf had its back to the door, herding her towards the open window. Its glowing eyes were on her weapon, keeping its wounded side away from her. Saliva seeped from its maw, and a low growl filled the space between them. She feinted to her right as if making a break for the door, and the wolf followed her diligently, lunging into her path with its teeth bared. At the last possible second she fell back to her left, knife flashing in the dim light. Another hit, though shallow, struck the animal's forearm.

The beast reared, favoring the limb, but as she settled back into a crouch it sprung, catching her off guard. It hit her with the force of a fully-grown man, and both girl and wolf toppled into the wall. Her head bounced off the sill, disorienting her, and the animal pressed itself against her, keeping her pinned to the wall just beneath the window. Before she realized it was happening its black jaws had fastened themselves around her throat. It shook her once, twice.

The pain of its grip filled her existence. She'd never felt anything like it. Vee didn't dare move for fear of its teeth slipping further into her flesh, nor did she try using her knife again. Through the haze she felt a massive, calloused paw pressing down on her clenched fist, scraping at it. Obediently she dropped her weapon.

The animal swept it away from her, and resettled its grip on her throat, causing her to twist sideways painfully to avoid it tearing out her jugular. She felt its hot tongue against the hollow of her throat, and she thought she might be sick. It shook her once more, harder than before, smashing her head into the wall. Gasping, Vee slid down until she was parallel to the floor, pressing her back into the smooth wood. Her throat throbbed, and she felt tears stinging her eyes. She squeezed them shut for a long moment, willing herself not to cry.

As she opened them again, eyes mercifully dry, it pulled itself off of her and backed away, head lowered and glittering eyes fixed on her face. It grinned again, and she choked on a furious sob. Meeting its eyes, she bared her own blunt teeth at it.

A snarl ripped from its chest, and it lunged for her. Bravado fled her, and a scream died in her throat even as she tried to jerk away. At the last second it changed course, jaws snapping just beside her left ear. Panting, she pushed herself as far back as she could get. Its hot breath stirred the loose hair at her temple, and she couldn't help but cringe, turning her face away.

"_Run."_

Her body froze of its own accord, the terror pushing down on her chest, choking her.

It spoke again, its voice unlike anything she had ever heard. _"Run."_

The wolf backed away slowly, and she watched its eyes, those bright, lucid eyes that knew too much, understood too much. It grinned once more, and this time she saw it for what it was. It knew her terror, her helplessness, her rage, and reveled in it. The jaws stretched.

"_Run."_

She obeyed, clawing her way up the wall and throwing herself out of the window. Every breath was agony. She couldn't even hear her heartbeat; just a loud, rushing noise that filled her head. As she turned to climb back to her feet, she caught a glimpse through the curtains of her window. The wolf had something long and dark in its jaws, and it was padding up to the windowsill, looking as if had all the time in the world. Maybe it did.

She didn't spare it another thought. She turned, and ran.

* * *

><p>There was no moon to light the way, and the tangled, gnarled limbs of the bare oak trees confused her, turning the woods into a wicked, dark maze with too many corners and no paths to follow. She knew instinctively that the lodge was no longer safe; the only way to go was forward. So she dove into the forest, feeling the tears streaming down her cheeks. The night around her was deathly quiet, turning every step she made into an avalanche of sound. She felt more than saw eyes surrounding her, and knew that the wolf hadn't been alone.<p>

Brambles tore at her bare feet, but she bit back her cries, choosing to panic in silence. She didn't feel like a responsible adult now; she felt every inch the child she really was. _You should have screamed; you should have run out the bloody door the minute you woke up. Oh God oh God oh God –_

Her mind wove itself into knots, turning back in on itself like a writhing serpent. She stumbled more than once, unable to see more than a few feet in front of her, but she was shaking with adrenaline and let it pull her back up to her feet. She ran for forever, until suddenly the ground disappeared beneath her feet and she was falling, falling.

She pitched headfirst down the hillside, barely managing to land on her side like Kent had shown her. She rolled until she hit a tree, and she lay there for a few minutes, stunned and unable to breathe from the impact.

Finally Vee was able to pull herself back up, and she barreled down the side of the hill, catching herself on the tree limbs that swept out before her to slow her descent. For a long time the only sounds she heard were the ragged sobbing of her breath and the crunch of dead leaves beneath her bleeding feet.

Then came a sound, and her heart stuttered. She didn't dare pause to listen for it again, but a thin trickle of hope spread through her. _They woke up, they know I'm gone, please oh _please_ come save me!_

And then the noise came again; the eerie, haunting strains of a wolf call. Around her came answering howls, and hope dashed itself to the ground somewhere behind her. Panic threatened to split her chest in two, and she couldn't hold back a cry. She kept fumbling her way downhill, trying to see past her tears, feeling her way in the dark to level ground. Her feet were on fire, and she felt a stitch growing in her side. Still she pushed herself forward, forcing her legs to keep moving.

Suddenly something sharp stung her calf; not a bramble. Then came an excited yip, and she knew that one had caught up with her. Her exhausted, petrified mind fancied she could feel its hot breath – and maybe that was exactly what it was, for it nipped at her leg again.

A scream ripped itself from her throat, and she threw herself forward desperately. More yelps followed her, surrounding her on all sides – they were in front of her now. She couldn't find the words to pray; she just sobbed wordlessly, racing onward into the dark.

Another kind of noise broke through the night; a sharp, cruel laugh._ "Run, Princess! You do it so well!"_

Her heart might have stopped. It was the same voice from her room; the same beast that had driven her to her flight. Nearly blind with rage and fear, she did as it bade, running, running down that hill for what might have been forever.

Then the world tilted so suddenly it stole the air from her; there was ground beneath her feet that shouldn't have been there, and as she pitched forward her only thought was – _where did the hill go?_

Her breath exploded from her in a rush, and she lay where she had fallen, stunned once more. Her body convulsed, fighting for air, but nothing came. A dry, noiseless sob wracked her, and then again, and again. She lay there heaving, wondering deliriously if she were drowning.

Then something grabbed her, and flipped her over on her back. Still struggling to breathe, she looked up wide-eyed at the skeletal branches that pierced the star-filled sky. The sight was blocked a moment later by something solid, something human shaped. Dazed and only half-aware, she wondered if Kent had found her. Eventually she found a scrap of air, and wheezed out his name.

The Wolf above her laughed, the sound echoing strangely in her ears. "No such luck, Princess. Your bodyguard couldn't make it tonight.

It's just you and me."

And Vee did something she had sworn she would never do; she fainted dead away.

* * *

><p>If I have to tell you where that quote was from…then I'll be very sad. So. Just a clarification, in case you didn't catch it: this takes place about eleven years before the events of the Tenth Kingdom. The young girl we meet in this chapter is the adolescent version of Red Riding Hood the Third, whom we saw at Prince Wendell's coronation. Other than that…I'm not telling. You'll just have to wait and see! Constructive critique is <em>definitely <em>encouraged, so please feel free to leave a comment afterwards. Thanks!

Also – I fudged up the geography a bit. Originally I was certain there was a mountain range that lay to the north of the Second Kingdom that separates it from the Ice Kingdom, but I recently discovered it was not so. I would ask that you suspend your disbelief, just this once, for creative licensing purposes.

**TBC.**


	2. A Series of Uncomfortable Events

Warnings apply to this chapter, for those of you who have triggers. Some physical/psychological abuse is present. It's going to be a thing. This isn't a fluffy, tra-la-laing-through-the-daisies fic. It's about survival, and hardship, and earning your place in the world. Be ye warned.

**STOLEN**  
><em>Chapter One<em>

When the Princess came to, she couldn't see a thing. Wincing, she rolled her head from side to side, fighting to clear her mind of the sluggish feeling that clung to her. When she blinked, she realized why she couldn't see: she was blindfolded. Another movement told Vee that her hands were bound tightly, and when she tried to tug them up to remove the blindfold, she discovered that they were in turn bound to her feet, rendering her incapable of standing or even sitting all the way upright.

The past few minutes – hours, oh, how long had she been _gone?_ – caught up with her in a rush, and she choked. Vee struggled to catch her breath, but fear had a tight hold on her, and to her consternation she felt tears soaking the cloth placed over her eyes. She couldn't stop shaking; the only thing she could do to alleviate it was to curl into a miserable little ball, but she couldn't – _wouldn't_ – make herself look any more pathetic than she already felt.

As she struggled to right herself, she realized that she was on something soft to the touch, but hard underneath – furs placed on the ground. A noise came from somewhere in front of her, and she bit her lips, willing them not to tremble. Someone chuckled, and she forgot all about sitting up, going very, very still instead.

She'd only heard it twice, but she already recognized it: the Wolf that had driven her from her bed. As long as she lived, she thought she would never forget the sound of it. Vee grit her teeth and swallowed heavily before managing to speak. "If its payment you seek, you'll get it."

It was what she had been taught to say from an early age, for just this purpose. She had to cooperate with the kidnapper, give them no further reasons to hurt her.

Somehow, she didn't think this applied to Wolves.

She was right. The Wolf snorted, and she twisted her head to follow the sound. "What good would gold do me, I ask you? Don't you know what I am?" Its gravelly voice was mocking as it spoke.

Vee knew she wasn't supposed to answer, but then she did a lot of things she wasn't supposed to do. "Yes. A beast."

It laughed, this time from her other side. She jerked in surprise, trying not to draw away from it. She already knew it could tell she was terrified, but she didn't want to give it a reason to laugh at her anymore. _Keep your mouth shut, Vee,_ she thought to herself desperately.

"Arrogant little bitch, aren't you."

Alright, _that _was going too far. "Excuse me, but I would appreciate it if you didn't swear at me."

It burst out laughing. "After you called me a beast? Pot, meet the kettle." It seemed to find her attempts at bravado humorous. At least it didn't sound like it was going to hurt her…yet. The thought, was – not surprisingly – of little comfort to her, given the circumstances.

Vee found herself fighting back a sudden fit of temper. It broke through the fear without warning, and she clung to it, letting it warm her. She bit her lips again, this time to keep from speaking.

"Nothing to say to that, I suppose. Smart girl."

She found that she was gritting her teeth more often than she normally did. _Condescending fleabag._

It made a noise low in it throat. Another chuckle. _Come closer so I can try to headbutt you,_ she thought vindictively. Instead she heard it moving away. From the way the sounds around her filled the air, it seemed that they were in some sort of enclosure. A tent? A room? She badly wanted to lose the blindfold, to regain her equilibrium and take in her surroundings.

The Wolf's voice cut through her thoughts. "Also smart of you to dose yourself with Wolfsbane. A little _extreme,_ but I would expect nothing less from your family."

Vee scowled, twisting around to follow its movements. "Wolfsbane." She echoed flatly. The confusion at its words only fueled her frustration, and she shook her head. "I have no idea what you're on about. Could you at least take this thing off? Or are you so ugly you're afraid I'll faint at the sight of you?"

Too late she realized her mistake. The enclosure rang once more with the Wolf's hoarse laughter. "What,_ again_? While the thought of you swooning at my feet is very appealing, I'd rather keep you in the dark for just a bit longer."

She couldn't help it; she rolled her eyes beneath the cloth. "Arrogant mutt," she muttered.

The air around her went still, and she only had a fleeting second to realize that, once again, she had stuck her foot in her mouth. Then there was pressure on her scalp, and she cried out at she was pulled violently upward by her hair. The fingers tightened, keeping her upright through sheer force; her neck felt like it could snap at any second. Her scalp was on fire. Tears sprung unbidden to her eyes, and she screwed them shut, willing herself to keep silent even as the animal shook her, much like it had last night.

Then she felt its breath fan across her face, and Vee recoiled, but it kept an unforgiving grip on her, keeping her firmly in place. It spoke, its voice a peal of thunder that cracked the air. "Mutt? _Mutt?!_ You dare – " and it broke off, snarling unintelligibly. Another shake popped Vee's neck, and she hissed in pain. It bent her over backwards, until her back screamed in protest. The only thing keeping her from being folded completely in half were her tethers, which bit into her skin, chafing them raw. The pain was overwhelming. A sob wrenched itself from her chest, despite her every intention to maintain silence.

Just as suddenly as it had started, she felt the grip on her hair loosen, and she flopped to the ground, rolling onto her side to prevent any further damage from her bonds. Tears soaked the blindfold, spilling out from under it to drip to the furs beneath her in silence. She did not dare utter a sound.

From above her the Wolf seethed; she could feel the bristling fury that seemed to fill the very air, suffocating, pushing down on her. She felt as though she might wretch.

Then the mood was broken abruptly, shattering as if someone had thrown a rock through a window. Dimly she heard footsteps outside of wherever they were, and the Wolf took a couple of steps away from her – backing up, she could tell, still facing her. It chuffed to itself. "Mother Moon, that's some nasty stuff. I can't decide if I should applaud you for being so clever, or just drop you off the nearest cliff."

The tone was more dry than anything, but Vee felt her skin prickling at the very blatant threat. Blinking through her tears, she struggled to upright herself once more, gasping at the raw welts that now adorned her wrists and ankles. She could feel the Wolf's eyes on her, though it made no move to neither help nor hinder.

By the time she had pulled herself into a sitting position, her tears had abated and her defenses refortified. The Princess shook back her hair in an attempt at nonchalance, mouth pursing. "Was it something I said?" She strove to emulate its tone, and was gratified when her voice did not shake as she had feared it would.

Though she could not see its expression, she could hear the derision in its voice. "Come now, Princess. You of all people should know all the_ best_ wolvey insults. Consider yourself fortunate that I didn't just tear out your throat. Far better persons than you have been killed for less."

_Note to self: the word 'mutt' is one to avoid in the future._

Vee swallowed before clearing her throat. "I…didn't know that the word was so offensive. I will strive to keep its usage to a minimum."

"Your courtesy warms my heart."

She scowled. _She_ thought she had been rather considerate.

From above her she heard it sigh. "No use talking to your kind," it muttered to itself. "Everything just goes right over your heads. Speaking of," and it drew nearer, until it was right in front of her, "we're going to have to do something about that Wolfsbane. Don't want anyone having an allergy attack while we're on the road." A rustling noise, and somehow she could picture it folding its arm across its chest. "So how are you doing it? Is it in a lotion, a powder? Tell me."

There it was again, the mention of the dreaded herb. It was Vee's turn to sigh. "I'm telling you, I have no idea what you're talking about. I've never even handled Wolfsbane before."

"Pretty little liar. You think I couldn't taste it last night, can't smell it even now? You're practically _sweating_ it –"

It broke off abruptly, and there was a pause. It muttered an oath, then called harshly out.

"_Stitch!_ Is everything all set?"

There was an answer from what sounded like the outside; another male. "Yes, Alpha. But I think – "

The first Wolf broke in. "I know, I _know_. I'm coming. _You _stay here. Try to entertain yourself while I'm gone."

It was addressing her again. Vee curled in on herself, jaw clenched bitterly; she refused to acknowledge it.

Finally she heard the Wolf's quiet steps moving away from her, receding until there was nothing but her own breath to fill the air. It had left her alone.

Despite her vast relief, a shudder wracked her frame as she remembered the other Wolf's words. _Alpha._ She wasn't dealing with some renegade Wolves out to make a name for themselves. This was a full-fledged _Pack_.

Vee tucked her chin into her chest, and tried to remember how to breathe.

* * *

><p>Some time passed, all of it in silence. Vee was left to ponder the Wolf's words. <em>Wolfsbane.<em> For some reason the creature believed she had it on her person. As familiar as she was with the plant and its properties, she was sure she would have noticed if she were carrying it with her. And in her nightclothes, no less. _Is it in a lotion, a powder? Tell me._

Vee shook her head wearily, settling back into the furs. There was no telling what that Wolf was thinking, or why. It wasn't like she had purposefully found a patch of the stuff and rolled around in it.

_You're practically sweating it._

Feeling a little absurd, she ducked down the best she could to sniff at one arm. She didn't smell any different than normal, but then again, people couldn't really smell their own odor, except in the most extreme circumstances. She raised her head again to snort balefully. _Stupid…stupid _mutt_._ Now that she knew how very offensive that word was, Vee was going to revel in its use every single time, even if it was in her own head.

After a good while, the Wolf – the _Alpha_ – finally came back. In the interim she had managed to tug her blindfold down by rubbing up against her shoulder, and had _entertained_ herself by taking in her surroundings.

There wasn't much; it was a tent, made from tightly stitched hides, supported by supple interlocking wooden beams. A temporary dwelling. She recognized a military-issue traveling writing desk tucked into the corner, something she noted with not a little surprise. When she looked down, she saw that she was on a bedroll lined with what she identified as a grizzly bear pelt. _That _was not a comforting discovery.

She had just started to try working her hands free of their tight bonds when she heard someone outside the makeshift door. She froze where she was, peering up from beneath a curtain of russet curls. Fear curled in her gut, and she took a steadying breath.

It – _he;_ that was definitely a man standing there – had only moved aside the flap; he hadn't looked in yet. He was addressing someone just beyond her line of vision in a low rumble; she strained, but couldn't make out what he was saying. She got a glimpse of his profile as he spoke, as well as the line of his shoulder and back. Tucking back in on herself again, she scowled. He looked _big. _And no less menacing in human form than he did in his natural one.

Finally he turned to duck into the tent, and Vee distracted herself by dropping her eyes to her bonds. He didn't say anything for a minute, letting the silence stretch out. _I know you're there, and you know I know you're there, and I know that you know _– her brain hurt. She bent her head, trying to reach the leather strips with her teeth, with no success.

He snorted at her efforts. "Should I come back later, your Highness?"

"Yes, if you please. I'm not quite done."

"Then by all means, continue. I'm sure I can find something to do while you struggle uselessly to escape."

She forced herself to ignore that. "…_son _of a…." Vee finally got a strap between her teeth, but it popped back out, jarring her. Focusing intently on the process in front of her let her almost forget that he was there. "One-legged _whore_."

He made an odd noise, and despite herself she looked up, still scowling furiously. His head was bowed, broad shoulders shaking as he laughed silently. She caught a glimpse of something white beneath the undone laces of his tunic; bandages. Another strip of white adorned a forearm. So she really had injured him. Vee couldn't help but feel rather satisfied by that.

His head finally raised, and before she could drop her eyes again he caught her gaze. Something inside her slowly shriveled and she found herself leaning back, trying to put as much space between them as possible.

He didn't look human. How anyone could ever mistake him for one was beyond her. The pale dawn light cast shadow upon shadow over his face, molding it into hard angles and flat, foreign planes. The eyes were too narrow and bright, keen with an animal's intelligence. _Massive_ shoulders, big hands. There was arrogance in every line of his body, more than she had ever seen in a person.

He took a step closer, no mirth evident in the outlines of his face, save for a corner of his mouth that curled. From her vantage point on the floor, he looked as a giant, looming far above her. She couldn't read his expression, and for some reason that scared her more than anything else.

Then he reached beneath his arm, and when he pulled back there was a long, slim blade in his fist. Panic hit her so fast she reeled, but there was nowhere to go. _Oh god he's going to kill me and send me back in pieces –_

And then he crouched down, and slipped the blade between her feet, neatly severing the bonds. She stared.

The knife was put away in its sheath, and he reached for her arms. Now more mobile, she pushed herself backward, nearly landing flat on her back in the process. He sighed impatiently, and gripped her beneath the arms, catching her before she fell.

She squeaked and froze. He ignored her reaction, hauling her to her feet. She stumbled and tried very hard not to lean on him for support. It took some effort, but she succeeded. Her feet throbbed from the sudden rush of blood to them, and she tested her weight on them, seeing if she could walk. He watched her silently.

Carefully she peeked up at him through her hair; he still wore that inscrutable expression. He didn't try to stop her from walking, however, and she took a few shaky steps.

He finally spoke, but it wasn't to her. "Get in here and fix her up. We're wasting time."

To her consternation, another Wolf slunk in and stopped by the Alpha's elbow. She darted a quick look at him, but he didn't seem inclined to do anything other than look at her. Then the Alpha stepped back, and she saw that the other had a rucksack in his hand. What had he said? _Fix her?_

She stood, unsure of what she was supposed to be doing at this point, but the other Wolf paid her no mind, instead kneeling to rummage through his bag. Was this the one he had spoken to, addressed as 'Stitch?' And what was being done about the hypothetical Wolfsbane? She wouldn't ask, if he didn't bring it up. It wasn't her problem if he was imagining things. _Paranoid fleabag_.

Finally the other Wolf came up with something from the sack, a jar and some cloth, and he gestured to her to sit back down. She balked, but only for a second. If he was supposed to looking out for her physical wellbeing, then she had probably better stay on his…not-as-bad side.

His face was calm and remote, and just as inhuman as the other's. Yet his hands were gentle as he bandaged her calves, feet and throat. The tincture he used was cool and tingling, and dulled the stinging cuts considerably. She kept her eyes on a spot just over his shoulder, staring at a small tear on the tent's hide wall. The Alpha kept a position close to the opening, as if she might actually best his pack mate and make a break for it. _If only._

The Wolf tending to her didn't try to talk to her, or bait her, and when he turned to leave she forced a "thank you" from stiff lips. The Alpha snorted quietly at that, but the other only paused very briefly, inclining his chin in acknowledgement before stepping back out.

The Alpha barely gave her a chance to gather her wits before stepping forward. "We have to get moving, come on." Before he could _help _her up, she forced herself to her feet, trying to keep from wincing. He placed a hand on the back of her neck to propel her along; she did as instructed, trying not to trip.

They stepped outside, and Vee quailed.

_Wolves._ Everywhere she looked. And they were looking right back at her.

The Alpha led her to a horse that was tethered to a tree. She could feel the Pack's eyes on her as they went, and she concentrated on keeping her chin up and her eyes forward. _They can smell fear._ The old adage rang in her mind with every step she took, and she did her best to keep it hidden. _Filthy dogs,_ she thought savagely as one of them growled at her. _I'm a _Princess._ What gives you the right to look at me that way?_

Enormous hands wrapped around her waist, and she felt herself being lifted. Hissing in surprise, she clung to the saddle as he placed her astride the horse. When she looked back down at him his head was lowered, his hands busy with her stirrups. _More bonds; lovely._

She remembered that her feet were bare when she felt his hands wrap around her ankles. Squeaking, she tried to jerk back from him, but he held her down easily. "So you don't fall off," was his casual retort.

He threaded more straps through the reins, binding her hands to them. She stared in dismay. "What if my horse spooks? I won't be able to jump off!"

"That's the idea."

Her shoulders sagged.

* * *

><p>The horses weren't afraid of them.<p>

She realized this as they mounted up. Taking another look at the group, she counted nine wolves; all of them male. A hunting party? She thought that females hunted as well, but perhaps she'd been wrong.

Their mounts never shied away from their riders' touch, nor did they seem defensive. It was very odd to Vee; the horses should have a natural aversion to wolves. But they acted like any other horses she'd seen or ridden. She sighed to herself, watching her bare toes curl in the stirrups. This was all too strange for her.

The Alpha had attached a lead to her animal, stringing her along behind him. _There goes that idea,_ she thought dourly. Absently she shivered, bowing down in her saddle. She couldn't wrap her arms around herself, or rub them down for warmth. She had run out in her nightdress, and it was all she still wore. No one had bothered to give her any sort of covering to ward off the chill. _They could at least attempt to keep me alive for a little while longer…if that's their intention._

The thought dragged at her, sending her already frazzled nerves to the brink of overloading. She still didn't know their demands. The Alpha had denied wanting gold; what else could a kidnapper possibly want?

Vee squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out any further contemplations. That trail of thought didn't bear dwelling on. Where it would lead she wasn't quite sure, but she had heard…_things._ Subjects hinted at and dodged around, never quite saying what they really meant – she wasn't experienced in _that _area. But the idea that one of them could lay their hands on her and – she swallowed, her skin crawling. _Just don't think about it, Vee._

So she didn't. She concentrated, and thought of nothing at all.

* * *

><p>Four. Bloody. Days.<p>

By the Five, she _hurt._ There were places on her she had never known could feel pain, but from the tips of her icy, numb toes to her manky locks of hair, she ached. Her belly was in knots as well, from anxiety as well as lack of proper food. By the end of the second day, she had worked herself into a cold sweat and couldn't stop shivering.

And they still hadn't given her any sort of coat. She refused to ask for one, instead letting the chill work its way down to her bones, numbing her to the point of exhaustion. She had actually dozed off and on during the trip, bouncing along in her saddle like a sack full of grain. Or so the Alpha said. He seemed to find it funny.

The first night she was slightly off-put by the fact that she was not able to take her Tonic, and she groaned to herself. Of all the things to miss, it would be her medicine. But she told herself that it didn't matter, she could hardly expect kidnappers to bring along something as asinine as a placebo her mother had concocted for her as a little girl. Still, comfort and familiarity were commodities she was quickly beginning to regret taking for granted.

Sometimes the wolves would leave their mounts to run ahead on four legs; she could hear them baying to one another from all around the mountainside. The princess was wide awake during these times, jaw set and hands clenched in front of her. She refused to show them any more fear.

The last day he had blindfolded her again, which at least meant that they must be close. Every night they had stopped for camp he'd had to lift her down from the saddle, and every time she couldn't help but feel ridiculously grateful. His hands were wonderfully warm on her frozen skin, and it took everything she had not to lean into him. But she clung to her dignity – it was all she had left out here.

The Alpha noticed; she'd caught his hooded glances when she couldn't suppress a shudder, or doubled over on herself to preserve her meager warmth. But he never mentioned it, and so she wouldn't either. _Maybe I'll get lucky and drop dead before they can do whatever it is they plan on doing,_ she'd thought more than once. Then she would think of her mother, and try not to cry. She wondered if her mother had recovered yet, or if the pneumonia still kept her bedridden. She wondered if she would ever know.

To distract herself she would watch the scenery, at least before she was blindfolded. She had never been this far into the mountains; it was a world apart, and she took it all in breathlessly. The oaks and maples had given way to skinny, pale supple trees – aspens, if she remembered correctly, interspersed with thick bristling pine. Even the air was different; strangely thinner, and filled with the sharp, sweet scent of frost and tree sap. If she hadn't been so miserably cold she would have enjoyed it immensely.

Yet another thing that bothered her about all of this – of all the things to worry about – was her smell. She was ironically reminded of her thoughts that first morning, after the Alpha's mention of Wolfsbane had set her to wondering. Vee could definitely identify her own scent now. When she laid down in her borrowed bedroll at night, she could smell her own body odor mingling with the scent of horse and leather in the enclosed space. It made her want to jump in the nearest stream, the next time they came across one. She had never gone more than two days without bathing, and she was getting desperate. Still she said nothing, simply adding it to her list of reasons to resent her captors.

And then, oh merciful Lord, they _stopped._ It was just past noon on the fourth day, and they drew to a halt. Being blindfolded, she couldn't see why they had stopped, but being unable to see had left her other senses to flourish. Her ears picked up other horses from up above them, and the sounds of productivity; her nose detected smoke. Another camp? A village? She didn't care; she just wanted to get the bloody hell _down _and sleep for a fortnight.

She heard the Alpha dismount in front of her, and a calloused hand was laid on her calf. Then the blindfold was undone, and she was left blinking in the afternoon sun. She looked down to find him undoing her feet, and she allowed her body to slump in her seat. Her hands were next, and with barely a thought she leaned to the side, letting him pull her down from the saddle. Vee had to physically bite her tongue to keep from groaning in relief. Then his hands were gone, and she steadied herself against her horse. She craned her neck to see what her other senses had told her were there.

There, up on the cliff, was indeed a camp, this one substantially more settled and permanent looking. There were at least a dozen other Wolves up there, something she noticed with a sinking heart. The ones she had to deal with were bad enough; cat-calling her, insulting her, or just plain ignoring that she existed. Doubtless she could expect the same treatment from these new animals.

Without warning tears prickled behind her eyes, and Vee buried her head in the mare's neck to hide them. She was just a girl. Why were they _doing _this to her?

Abruptly she was turned around, and the Alpha cut away the bonds that held her hands to her chest. He had done so at intervals in the days before, to allow circulation to her hands, but she hoped badly that this would be the last time. She kept her eyes on what lay directly in front of her; his arm. She stared hard at it as he finished pulling away the leather strips, letting her hands drop to her sides.

She thought he would lead her like always to camp; instead, without warning, he turned her so that her back was pressed against him. This sudden change in routine left Vee panicking, and the tears that had threatened to spill before returned with a vengeance. She squeezed her eyes to hold them at bay.

"What are you – _hey!"_

Eyes flying back open, Vee shouted in outrage as a hand wound its way in the folds of her clothing, holding her in place as the blade cut a swathe down the front of her nightdress. Shrieking, she bucked against him, trying to stomp on his toes like she'd been taught, but she couldn't quite manage. One strong arm had wrapped around her torso, holding the shredded blouse in place as the knife slid down the lower half of it. As the gown fell away from her, she went very still, not even daring to breathe should it fall further open.

Her face burned in humiliation as he tugged her nightdress away from her shoulders, discarding it on the ground. She shook so badly she thought she might fly apart. Never had she thought she would be subjected to something this…this _wretchedly _cruel. She wanted to die.

His arm still pinned her in place to him, his bare skin burning a brand against hers, but nothing else untoward happened. She'd never been this close to a man in her fifteen years, but she was sure this wasn't how it was supposed to work. She shivered in the autumn breeze, feeling every eye upon her. From somewhere ahead she heard laughter.

Suddenly something was draped across her front, and her heart stuttered. With a sob she tried in vain to break free, but she could feel the corded muscle at her back and around her shoulders, and knew it was pointless. He was so much stronger than her, he could do anything he wanted and there was nothing she could do –

His hand found her throat then, squeezing her windpipe shut. Vee gagged, struggling for air, and he dug his fingers into the teeth marks he'd left behind only days ago. He leaned in, until she could feel his jaw flex as he spoke. "It'll only be the worse for you if you keep struggling. Believe me."

Her throat was on fire, both on the inside and out. But she managed to strain her head in a nod, and his grip loosened. Sobbing, she gasped for the air that had been denied her, wanting nothing more than to sink to the ground and be buried in it. He wouldn't let her, instead winding the piece of cloth around her shoulders, letting it hang down her back. As he drew away, she was able to look down at what he had given her.

It was her red riding cloak.

Something hot and sickening bubbled in her stomach; she thought she might vomit. Very slowly she turned around, swaying on her bare, shredded feet, to face the Alpha. She couldn't look at anywhere but the ground, refusing to glance up and see what expression his face held.

A hand came into her line of view, digging fingers into her jaw, forcing her face up to his. What she saw there only increased the sick feeling.

She'd never had anyone look at her like that before. Like she was beneath them. Like she was filth.

Like they'd love nothing more than to rip out her throat.

Then he lifted his gaze out towards the cliff, clearly dismissing her. He beckoned, and one of the wolves sauntered up, slapping something into his waiting palm. She could feel the other animal's eyes roving across her, taking in her bare, nubile flesh, seeing the flush of mortification in her cheeks. He laughed, and said something to the Alpha – what, she hadn't the faintest idea; she couldn't hear anything above the roar of blood in her ears.

Something heavy and cold slid around her neck, and she found the energy to flinch back. A dull click sounded, and suddenly she found herself on the business end of a leash.

He'd put a collar on her.

Vee felt something she hadn't known was there die inside, and she bowed her head, finally letting go of her tears.

* * *

><p>She followed the Alpha silently, unable to utter more than a token protest. Her battered feet and calves were on fire, her belly was hollow, and her head felt light and detached. He had the lead wound tightly in one fist, as if she might try to escape – though both of them knew she wouldn't. She simply grit her jaw against a further flow of tears and kept her eyes on the path in front of her, not daring to look up to see who might be watching.<p>

Her cloak was her only raiment; gloriously, vibrantly red against her ashen skin, the symbol of her status felt more like a death shroud than anything. Vee had striven to manipulate it so that it would cover as much as possible, but it could only hide a portion of her chest, and nothing else. She wanted desperately to tug the hood up around her face, but the Alpha had pulled it right back down when she tried. "Why try to hide such a pretty face, Highness?" He had mocked.

She stumbled as they neared the end of their journey, and he pulled the lead taut to keep her upright. Hissing in pain, she staggered forward to avoid falling. From behind her came a snicker, and from somewhere she mustered up the energy to glare proudly over her shoulder at the culprit. It was the same Wolf that had brought the Alpha her collar, and she curled her lip at him, a gesture he returned. Seething quietly, she set her face forward once more, determined not to falter again.

Then they were there, and her mortification returned in force, alongside a healthy dose of fear. A cold sweat broke out across her skin, and she trembled, coming to a halt. The leash pulled taut, and the Alpha glanced back at her, brows arching. She couldn't meet his eyes; instead she stared past him to the small but sprawling encampment before them, built into the openmouthed caves that riddled the mountainside.

There were at least a dozen more wolves here; she noticed with a churning stomach that the majority of them were male. She spotted only three females in the immediate area – for some reason she had clung to the hope that maybe a more forceful feminine presence would buffer her from the attention of the men. It seemed she would have no such luck.

And all of that male attention was immediately centered on her. From behind her she heard the rest of the hunting party arrive, and disperse into the camp. They were greeted with yips and head-cuffs, but it died down too quickly. All those inhuman eyes were fixated on her, and humiliation threatened to overwhelm her. If only he had left her with her nightdress, with something besides her damned hood.

_You are a daughter of the House of Red. You have nothing to be ashamed of. _Nothing.

But she was still just a girl.

"You brought back a souvenir, Rush!" A chorus of barking laughs followed this. The Alpha joined in, turning to his pack and tightening her lead until she was forced to follow once more. Heat flooded her face as she was hauled into the center of the camp, and it took every last scrap of dignity she still possessed to keep her head up.

"Just a little something I picked up along the way, courtesy of the House of Red."

The pack went very still for a moment, taking this in. Then, like a slow roll of thunder, growls and snarls arose from their throats. She could see flashing teeth and glittering eyes all around as they pressed in, until she could feel their body heat, feel their breaths on her bare skin. Swallowing heavily past the bile, she locked her knees and stared straight ahead, praying no one tried to touch her.

They did. Someone tweaked her unbound hair, hard, and she yelped in surprise. Snarling laughter came from around her, and then someone tugged on her cape. Panic hit her hard, and she struggled to breathe, to not faint in front of these savages. They were so close, there were too many of them – despite her efforts, she met several pairs of eyes, all of them gleaming and hostile. One of them was a female, and the tiny shred of hope she'd been clinging to wilted as she beheld the same loathing she had seen in the others. There would be no mercy from that corner.

She had just begun to hyperventilate, curling in on herself to hide from their grasping claws and snarling faces, when the Alpha stepped in. "Alright, fleabags, break it up. She's for display _only_."

There was a general cry of disappointment, but they dispersed, falling back to let the Alpha gather her up, taking her by the collar. Feeling absurdly grateful, she let herself be walked through the remainder of the camp, letting the rest of the wolves look their fill. There were a handful that had hung back; as she passed one she recognized the one who had tended her wounds on the way. He wasn't watching her, but the Alpha. His lean, craggy face was curiously sober.

Then she was being pulled around a corner, and into one of the shallow caves. This was no temporary dwelling; it had more of a lived-in feel to it, a presence in it that spoke of personal space and much use. Somehow she knew it was the Alpha's den. She balked, eyeing the surrounding walls.

He twisted to face her. His long, hard fingers were still curled in her collar, knuckles digging into her jugular. When she dared to look at him, she recognized the expression, the one that said he'd rather have his teeth in her throat than have her standing there in front of him. Vee hastily dropped her eyes, and he tightened his hold threateningly.

She swallowed heavily, turning to duck behind her hair. She heard him let out a breath between his teeth, and when he tugged at her, she followed obediently. She watched from behind her disheveled locks as he tethered her once more, this time to two posts about a meter apart, placed at the far end of the cave. Bleakly she wondered if he had put them there for her especially, or if he regularly kept his prisoners tied up in his den. The thought made her skin crawl.

Two cuffs were slapped onto either wrist, attached to leather bonds that led to the posts. They had about eight feet of slack between them, for which she was thankful – it gave her room to sit, even lay down if she needed to; perhaps not in the most comfortable position, but she figured at this point she would take what she could get.

He finished tying them off, and gave them a swift tug to ensure their security. Satisfied, he turned to leave, not even bothering to look at her as he went. He was almost to the entryway when she panicked, calling to him. "I don't suppose you brought me all this way just to have me starve, did you?" Because she _was_, she realized. She had barely been able to sense it past the acute fear and embarrassment, but her light-headed state was returning with a vengeance, and her stomach wasn't done tying itself in knots. "I can't survive on a strip of jerky a day, you know."

He paused at the doorway, and sighed. She saw him roll his eyes as he responded. "It's not feeding time yet, and you've got a ways to go before you actually begin to starve." His eyes roved across her body, and he curled his lip at her. "I'm surprised you even know the word, Highness."

She scowled, despite his embarrassing scrutiny. "Unlike you, I've actually had an education. _I'm_ rather surprised you can talk at all."

His teeth bared in a wolf's grin. "I even know how to lace my own boots. Unlike _you,_ I've had to dress myself my whole life. Catch you later, bitch."

Before she could sputter out a retort, he was gone, and she was left to seethe in solitude.

* * *

><p>At some point she had managed to fall asleep; a small miracle. She only woke up when she felt a bare foot in her ribs. Scowling blearily, she peered up to see the Alpha drop a wooden, shallow bowl by her nose. The scent of freshly cooked meat and herbs caught her senses, and her mouth started watering. Ignoring him, she pulled herself to a sitting position, and curled her hands around the bowl. There were no utensils, which shouldn't have surprised her. She studied the bowl from several angles, deciding how to best imbibe the dish without looking like a complete savage.<p>

"It's called food. You eat it."

Slowly she turned a glare on him. He was kicking out a bedroll on the other side of the den, not even bothering to look at her. She debated for a brief moment whether or not to make a retort, and then realized what he was doing. Insult forgotten, she turned to look around herself. There was nothing; just dirt, rock, and her hood. She turned to face him again. "Where's mine?"

He still didn't look up. "Where's your what?" He sounded distracted, still unrolling his bearskin. Vee pursed her lips, irritated.

"My bedroll. A blanket, a fur?"

Finally he glanced up, and then dismissed her just as quickly. "You can use your hood, Highness. If you can condescend to actually use it for something practical."

"Two three-syllable words in one sentence. Did you just use up your yearly quota?"

He leveled an inscrutable look on her from across the room. At least he didn't look like he was about to eat her. The thought boosted her bravado, if only a little. "I think we just had this discussion not too long ago. Stuff your face and go back to sleep."

She _hmmed_. "Apparently not. Be careful, you might strain something."

"You do seem to have a low opinion of me."

"You just make it too easy."

She recognized _that _look. Master Tomas got the same one whenever she knew something he didn't; a rare but entertaining occurrence. "Your food's getting cold. Please shut up and eat it."

"Because Lord knows you need your beauty sleep."

"_Yes._ Moon, you're a mouthy little bitch._"_

That stung. "_Please _refrain from calling me names."

He finally looked back up at her, eyes glittering. "I think we've established that you are, without a doubt, female. I didn't think calling you one was an insult." He made a point to glance down at the rest of her before turning back to his pack, which he'd been digging through.

Vee bit her lip, her cheeks on fire. She had forgotten the term's original use; she was used to hearing it's more vulgar utilization from guardsmen and some of the villagers when she visited the towns. She chose not to comment, instead dropping her eyes back to her dinner. A hollow ache filled her chest as she was reminded once again that she was not among her own people; was far away from everything familiar and dear to her.

Feeling more and more despondent, she finally decided to give up on manners and tipped the contents of the bowl into her mouth. No one was going to expect civility of her here, and she might as well take advantage.

She lowered the bowl, and promptly choked on a mouthful of stew. "_What_ the name of the Five are you _doing_?!"

He glanced back over his shoulder, hands resting on his hips from where he'd been about to take off his trousers. "Getting comfortable? You didn't think we actually wore clothes all the time, did you?"

Her mouth opened and closed as she fought for something to say. "But - that's not – " she wheezed a little, feeling her mortification return in full.

"What, _proper?_ Get over it, Highness."

And with that, he finished undressing. Vee squeaked and buried her face in her knees, skin on fire with embarrassment. _I am sitting here naked. With a man who is also naked. In the same room. _

If her mother ever heard about this, she was going to skin her, and use her as a rug so she could beat her. Forget about being paraded in front of a bunch of wild barbarians. At least they had been half-way clothed.

He was laughing at her. Vee didn't care. Grabbing the ends of her cloak, she wrapped it around herself the best she could, and tucked into a ball with her back to the heathen. She heard him flop down on his pallet, _getting comfortable_, and once again she felt hot tears. She forced herself to make one last parting shot.

"You had better not snore."

His hoarse chuckle filled the cave again, and she buried her face in her hands. It was going to be a very long night.

* * *

><p>He couldn't sleep.<p>

Her scent filled his den, and he had to resist snorting it back out. She was right _there_, and she smelled _edible_. He turned his head so that he could watch her; he could make out the shallow lift and fall of her back as she slept. He hadn't thought she would actually fall asleep first, but the little bitch had beaten him to it. He could still smell the lingering bouquet of her varying emotions, easily picking out the fear. But he could detect anger as well, a smoky, deep scent that made his pulse race. He rolled over onto his back, forcing his eyes to the cavern ceiling.

She was nothing like what he'd expected. He'd been anticipating a cowering, tearful scrap of a girl – oh, she'd cried; even when she hid them he could smell the salt. And she'd been so wonderfully _terrified._ But the anger, so potent and forceful, had caught him off guard. He shouldn't have been so surprised; wasn't royalty supposed to be an arrogant and snobbish breed? But the sheer overwhelming _rage_ that she exuded had made his senses reel.

She hadn't screamed. Instead she ended up sticking a knife in his ribs and mouthing off to him. He remembered the feel of her skin against his tongue and teeth, and his mouth watered. He had wanted so badly to rip her little white throat out, too. He still wasn't sure if he was glad he had resisted.

The bitch made a noise in her sleep, and shifted so that her profile was presented to him. Despite himself he turned back to her; her position gave him a satisfying eyeful of her front, and he ground his teeth in frustration. She was too soft and white, and it made him want to sink his teeth into her again, to taste the rage that sweetened her blood. Another sigh escaped her, and he watched the rise and fall of her nubile breasts as she breathed. Before he realized what he was doing he found himself halfway to his feet.

He could take her. She was young and weak, and he could overpower her _so _easily. No one would try to stop him. He was Alpha; he had a right to whatever free bitch he chose. He knew she'd never mated – not only was the nobility a stickler for that sort of thing, but he could smell the burgeoning pheromones that were purely hers, without the scent of a male interlaced with them.

_Bad_ idea. He should have gone with his original plan, to stake her down at the center of the Pack's communal den outside. Keeping her in here was hell on his peace of mind.

Not only would mating with her be a supremely stupid move – she was a human, and therefore beneath him and he _really_ wished he hadn't thought of it that way because now he had that image stuck in his head – but once she was returned to her people, it would sign his death warrant. Not that he couldn't easily dodge them; this entire mountain range was at his disposal. But the humans would be…especially irate if they knew a Wolf had violated one of their own. His mug would be on every tree south of the mountains by the next morning, he would bet on it. Of course, that was only if they ever found out –

Before he could change his mind again he was outside and under the sliver of a waxing moon. Immediately he felt better, more clear-headed.

A run would straighten him out, keep him focused. And he needed to have all his wits about him if he was to be in close quarters with this bitch; she was too tempting for her own good. He enjoyed arguing with her too much, liked getting her all riled up; all that hot, intoxicating rage centered entirely on him. It made him forget why he had brought her here in the first place.

He was finally able to get the tantalizing scent of her out of his nose, gratefully breathing in a lungful of sweet, thin mountain air. His thoughts slowly untangled themselves as he took to the forest, hearing the pine needles crunch beneath his swiftly moving paws. The pale sickle form of his Mistress rode high tonight, soaring above the tops of the tallest trees, and he raced towards her, fancying that if he just ran fast and hard enough, he would eventually catch up to her.

It was past time they took back what was rightfully theirs. The vast, sprawling kingdom that lay to the south of these mountains had once been under his kind's control, and he intended to start making headway on that. Taking the heir to the throne was a nice start.

Humiliating her thoroughly had been a stroke of genius, if he did say so himself. He wasn't Alpha just for his looks, after all. It showed her who the master was in this place, so far away from her precious palace. She was just a piece of meat to be devoured, and he shoved her face-first into that fact wearing nothing but the oh-so-revered mantle of her station. Let the bitch see how much respect the scrap of cloth brought her here.

She would see. He would make her cower at the Ice Mountain Pack's feet – at _his_ feet. And when –_ if_ – she returned to her cursed family, they would see, too, that the wolves were a united force – a force to be reckoned with.

* * *

><p>General expressions of interest are welcome, and let me know that people are actually interested in this.<p>

Also, hey. 'Stolen' is a working title; if anyone can come up with something else as the story plods on, I'd love to hear it. Thanks. :)

**TBC.**


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